He Was No Hero
by Fossilised Tree Sap
Summary: AU Where Ozai was successful in his campaign against the Earth Kingdom. Assassins were commonplace in the ravaged world. He was no different and he was no hero.


Rain was calming to most people. Not to him. Rain was a reminder of heartbreak, abandonment, betrayal and murder. Rain was anything but calming to this warrior of the night. He stood up from his seat in a hut poorly built and sighed. 'Bloody rain' he thought as he moved through the hut his worn leather boots creaking against the floorboards as he walked to his room. As he entered the assassin was met with the sight of broken glass from his recent breakdown, he sighed once more as he collected his satchal and began to pack his money and valubles. He needed to go home. To the city where his life fell into a state of disrepair, where he was unofficially named the paraiah of the assassin order. The devil, the Akuma. He needed closure with everything.

The city of Ba Sing Se was where he was celebrated as a hero, an icon of rebellion against the Fire Nation system. But he was no hero, he never wanted to be a figure worth looking up to. The people saw differently, saw a freedom fighter, they saw the answer to their hopes and dreams to end Ozai's regime of genocide and racism. Akuma wiped his face , a shiver ran down his spine at the thought of the word hero. He was a hired dagger. An assassin for Agni's sake he shouldnt be hailed as a hero when the Avatar still lived. His amber eyes gazed towards his hands, his thoghts screamed about how much blood had he spilt in his 34 years of life? Spilt in his 12 years of banishment? Agni only knows how many lives this assassin had taken and the number would rise.

As the assassin took his things he found a crumpled note in his knife belt. Puzzled the assassin pulled out the note and read through it, it was written entirely in Fire Tongue his favored language. His eyes skimmed throuh the words noticing the signit stamp. Yamoto or better known as the ratto, so he wished to fianlly speak with him? After 12 years it seemed stupid to consider the idea of Yamoto speaking before acting rashly, almost a foolish gesture considering how Yamoto abused him for over two decades. He ripped the note up after memorising the words and how he wanted to meet in Ba Sing Se. Strange how the rat picked the city Akuma's mother was slain in to 'civilliy' talk.

Akuma picked up his things and left the hut in the middle of the night. He mounted Shinnok and rode to Ba Sing Se the ravaged city in the conquered Earth Kingdom. Rain collected on his mounts fur and his robes soaking them partially as he rode on a galloping shirshu. His thoughts were racing as he fought against the weather. His body was tired, his mind even more so as he rode in the light of the moon. Akuma rode for what seemed to be days before he entered Ba Sing Se and looked at the ravaged city where houses were ashen black and bones littered the streets of those fallen in the chaos after a Fire Nation victory.

After reaching the inner wall Akuma dismounted Shinnok and stroked his fur as he took his saddle off as well as his harness. He took out a small scarf that held the scent of his once lover and a pre-written letter. The assassin knew this encounter with Yamoto would be deadly, he wouldn't let him take his beloved steed as a trophy.

"Shinnok here boy" The assassin commanded as he held the letter for him to carry in a small bag he fastened to the beast before holding the rag out. the shirshu sniffed at the rag and howled before he sat down refusing to move.

"Shinnok please go to her with the letter, I'll be fine now go," He said as the beast rested his head against his master's shoulder as if to protest his master leaving him. The scent was fresh in the shirshu's nose. He knew who to visit but his master would still need him if he was truly okay.

"Shinnok Please, I need you to go deliver that letter" Akuma began begging for his pet to go before he pet and hugged him. The beast didn't want to leave but Shinnok licked his cheek in affection and raced off to find the girl his master wanted.

Akuma was happy his loved pet wouldn't get hurt. He just knew Yamoto would try something drastic. He was an opportunist he knew it. He started walking through the streets. Akuma's boots made their way through ash and dry blood as he walked to where his mother once lived. He looked longingly from his hood and saw the wolfbat master smirking as he opened his arms.

"Akuma! My most favoured warrior!" He said in a snake like manner as if overselling his enthusiasm upon seeing Akuma. The assassin held his two daggers close waiting for the moment to whip them out. Yamoto smirked and said "There is no need for violence." He drawled as assassins started to emerge around the two men cutting off Akuma's escape .

"what do you want ratto?" He asked as he stayed defensive and alert of what was happening around him. he was met with a chuckle that turned into a cackle

"You know how much I dislike loose ends Akuma, See this conversation as just business and whats best for my little clan here" He bagan and looked up through a lazy eye and smirked "I know you visit this little shithole every year. same day and everything. for what? A whore who protected a bastard halfbreed like yourself? Akuma have standards with whose grave you visit" He taunted before Akuma snapped "HOW DARE YOU REFER TO MY MOTHER AS A WHORE!"

The assassin threw a fire punch only to have the older master raise a flame wall to the surprise of Akuma

"You, you said you couldn't bend the elements at all! YOU FUCKING LIER" Akuma screamed as he ran towards him, heating his body for a hidden blade to spring out so he could attack Yamoto before he felt seering pain in his shoulder. He looked at the bloodied arrow that had entered and exited his shoudler to show the head of the arrow. The group of 30 assassins then descended on him, all whislt Yamoto walked over to the now restrained Akuma and said

"I hate loose ends and sadly you are one of my loose ends I never dealt with" He grinned as he clicked his finger to have the assassins attack Akuma.

Daggers and knives were being used on both parties due to how Akuma was fighting back with the strength of a dragon. His dagger sliced through assassins with efficiancy but just as he ended three assassins a knife was plunged into his abdomen. He cried out in pain and moved to slice a throat whilst driving a knife into an assasin's chest before standing up fully and fighting tooth and nail for his life.A dagger was thrown to an asssassin's skull embedding itself within the bone whilst two other assassins had dagers through the chest and ripped downwards to disembowl them.

As eight assassins lay dead Akuma had another arrow shot into his back causing him to roar in pain and stagger before more assassins ran to throw their blades into his body. Akuma reacted and moved to push an assassin in his spot to have them die, he drove a dagger into one mans back and threw a knife into a archer's throat.

11 assassins were dead from Akuma's suicidal fighting spirit and more would follow when he targeted footmen and threw three knives that ended more lives. Akuma was then stabbed once more this time under his left arm pit wich caused him to drop a dagger and staart swinging sporadically. The swings of his dagger still connected with the flesh of his once brothers in arms. Jugulars were sliced in the wake of this devils assault. Five more dropped dead whilst his spleen was then attacked with a dagger finding its way into his flesh whilst two knives embedded themselves into his back. He was tired but 11 men remained.

Another arrow was shot into his back as three archers hit him in the chest with arrows. Akuma dropped to his knees and gave a deep breath as he ripped one arrow out and assaulted the remaining men. His knives were thrown and found their way into the back of someones head killing them instantly. He got up and drove his last three knives into three other assassins whom dropped dead. 7 men remained as the assassin looked up whist three assassins ran away fro fear of death. 4 men remained, all of them archers.

Yamoto looked shocked at the sight of the assassin who has fought what could have been hell but threw a knife into his left pectoral before kicking the blade deep which caused Akuma to spit blood and look up. Glaring at the broken assassin, his master felt only rage when he looked upon the younger assassin.

Yamoto threw a punched and leaned close to Akuma to softly whisper "Where's your Fire Nation whore now? She can't save you now." He laughed "No seriously how did a halfbreed murderer get into cahoots with a princess? How does that happen?" He taunted as he walked circles around the grounded assassin. Akuma only growled and Yamoto laned closer to gaze hatefully into glazed amber eyes. He spat in Akuma's face and grinned psychotically.

Akuma played dead before he heated his arm once more and slammed the five inch blade deep into Yamoto's Jugular wiping the shit eating smirk off of the assassin master's face only for Yamoto to scream "KILL HIM NO-" he was cut short. Akuma's hidden blade was slammed into his chest killing him instantly

Arrows then rained fire. Akuma screamed in pain as arrows hit his arms and shattered bones. Three more arrows hit his back and made him groaned in pain as he slipped to hands and knees to try and fight more with arrows hitting his body at various speeds pushing back before he threw his dagger at one hitting him in the chest. Three remained. Akuma took knives off the dead assassins and hit two with his uninjured arm. One archer was left. Only one left.

Akuma moved to throw a knife in hopes he would hit his target. An arrow hit him. The cool metal of the head piercing his chest. The assassin fell to his knees before shooting a flame blast to the archer hitting him and burning him, the shock of the burn knocking him back over a wall letting the archer fall to his death. Akuma smiled finally. He had won but had he won his life back? He pondered this before walking to his mothers home staggering as he walked with the amount of damage his body had taken over this battle with his old clan before the ultimate betrayal.

Akuma stumbled in, smiling at his old memories that littered the home ranging from baby photos to images of a four year old him. His bloodied fingers stroked the paper with only love in his touch as he slumped down onto the wooden floor. His blood adding to old crimes of racism an ill informaty. To where his mother was struck down 30 years ago today. He smiled softly as he took a small portrit of his 22 year old self out. He took a deep breath. Each movement he made seemed weighted and heavy. He looked upon the portrit with teary eyes at the thought of who he left behind.

"Azula" He began, why was talking such a burden suddenly? "I didn't make it, I couldnt make it. you were right, I needed to swallow my pride, I should have waited and now look where my stupid antics lead me." He swallowed hard "Please forgive me my love, please I emplore you" He uttered as he slumped with each word feeling his breathing soften to gentle whispers of a man with only guilt an regret on his mind. "I couldnt be there for you. I was weak and now I pay that price." He whispered to the portrait gazing regretfully into still amber eyes as his began to flutter open and shut. Akuma felt the spirits calling. He could have sworn he heard his mother and his mentor as he gaxed away from the photo. He had never watched the sun rise before. To watch the colours dance acros the sky and to hear the rain softly hit the stone floors as he slipped away. He dropped the portrait that showed a happier time him embracing a lover. Akuma started to fade in and out of conciousness, After a while his body fully slumped against dried bloodstains as crimson liquid oozed from his battle torn body. He had given up finally and for some reason he smiled softly with tears trailing down his face. Akuma smiled and closed his amber eyes he exhaled a final deep breath. Giving up wasn't so bad after all. With his last breath Akuma had found peace finally.

I guess Akuma had one more reason to hate the rain. It reminded him of death.

Well it used to.


End file.
